2. Fans, Followers and Brand Advocates

Abstract

The “fan” concept is multifaceted, and there are different ways of approaching the study of fans and fan cultures. There are both similarities and differences in how brand fans and more “traditional” fans behave, but it is also interesting to note how differently these types of fans are approached by brands and media producers. The terminology used in marketing and business literature is often vague and paradoxical, overlooking the aspects of resistance that are often integral to many fandoms. At the same time, businesses in their quest for a larger market share want fans, not customers, and brand advocates, not followers. But, with the popular image of the media geek in mind, why do they want fans? The most straightforward explanation is that their take on the fan concept is very selective, and rather one-dimensional, and very likely shaped by the “Facebook vocabulary.”

Kuper, Simon, and Stefan Szymanski. 2014.
Soccernomics: Why England Loses, Why Germany and Brazil Win, and Why the U.S., Japan, Australia, Turkey and Even India Are Destined to Become the Kings of the World’s Most Popular Sport. New York: Nation Books.